The Lagos State Police Command has detained 23-year-old Ayomide Adeleye, who is accused of murdering 21-year-old Christiana Idowu and burying her body. This development came after the Nigerian Army handed over the suspect to the police for further investigation.
Benjamin Hundeyin, a police spokesperson, confirmed the handover on September 5, 2024, saying the investigation is ongoing.
The victim, Christiana Idowu, a final-year student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), was reported missing in August. She was last seen traveling from Itaoluwa to Yaba on the day she disappeared. Despite efforts to locate her, no leads surfaced until more details emerged.
According to family sources, Adeleye allegedly kidnapped Idowu and contacted her family for a ransom of three million naira ($1,800). The family negotiated and paid 350,000 naira, but the suspect stopped answering calls after the payment. Security operatives traced the transaction through the suspect’s bank account and tracked him to his parents’ house in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Upon his arrest, police recovered Idowu’s phone and evidence of the ransom payment. Adeleye allegedly confessed to killing Idowu and burying her in a shallow grave at his home.
Investigations revealed that Adeleye and Idowu were acquaintances, attending the same church and being connected on social media. The police continue to investigate the case, and Adeleye is expected to face prosecution.
